:: Dave Walker 14:08 (EST/EDT) [+] ::
:: [/misc/webmemes]
:: tags: webmemes 2006 meme
:: Comments (4)
Comments:
Title: Banging the TV "lack of TV standards" drum again
Date: 1/1/2006 14:38:23
So, this Mac mini PVR: what sort of TV tuners? Analog ones? Ones that work with US cable? And no matter which of those they choose, won't it be NTSC only? Also, isn't releasing a product that nobody outside the US can buy more the sort of thing you associate with the likes of Dell than Apple?
Title:
Date: 1/1/2006 14:49:08
Hi Paul... Well, assuming they're not complete idiots (er, that would be assuming a lot, eh?) the actual video hardware will be on a daughtercard that differs by region. I know standard def is a swamp of NTSC/PAL/SECAM whatever the fuh, but, if they simplify things by ignoring the existence of over-the-air broadcasting, doesn't it become manageable? I will confess to being ignorant of European HDTV (not enough hours in the day as it is -- I have to concentrate on the stuff that directly affects my living room), but I can't imagine it's insurmountable.
Title:
Date: 1/5/2006 06:45:07
Well, if you limit yourself to over-the-air analog(ue) then it does get easier, yes. HDTV isn't the real problem in Europe (roll-out is only just starting); it's the fact that there's a lot of digital broadcasting, and recompression (which is implied by analogue) looks awful, but handling all the different transmission methods is tricky (see the DVB-T and DVB-S options that EyeTV have to offer). Still, we'll see.
Title:
Date: 1/5/2006 07:14:22
Then I suppose they'll need to treat it as the nontrivial problem that it is and roll out different products in different regions, which will obviously mean they wouldn't be able to ship all the versions simultaneously. Can't be helped, I suppose -- blame the lack of commercial/governmental coordination which has resulted in a maze of incompatible video "standards"...
FORTUNE'S FUN FACTS TO KNOW AND TELL: #2 Horses are forbidden to eat fire hydrants in Marshalltown, Iowa.